Hidden Cafe-
Not so hidden it turns out.
In plain view on a busy thorough fare behind L’illa Shopping Centre.
What is hidden? The door handle.
First I stand in front of it. Expecting the swoop of electric glass doors opening.
Nope.
I flap my arms around a little in case my smallish frame hasn’t been detected.
And still nothing.
I perch my sunglasses on my head and peer at the seams of the four glass panels.
And there it is, a kind of coffee cup handle that an index finger gets slotted into and then pulled down gently to release.
I make it inside to find:
the Mother of all coffee machines, an American crafted Slayer Espresso, customised with the cafe’s logo. (I can’t remember if they have a 2 or 3 group machine but the 2 group goes for around $17,000).
Loud reggae blares. Most seats are taken. The majority by young people, macs open in front of them, scrolling and swiping on their smart phones. One high table by a gray-haired couple having breakfast and reading the papers.
The music gets even louder. I watch the older couple grin and bear it for a few minutes before packing up and settling their bill. Next two of the four window panels are opened. The cold air pushes itself in abruptly and most of the room snap their laptops shut and head out. Lessons in how to turn tables in a coffee shop that offers free wi-fi.
Clever these boys.
I have a coffee and a toasted jamon iberica sandwich. They have in a lot of guest European roasts in their grinders from what I understand. I am about to enquire when I see the extensive Matcha menu, get distracted and order one. It comes, vivid green with a phoenix (swan?) fashioned out of milk foam. (In my own latte art journey I am still trying to graduate from hearts to leaves.)
While I am there, a box arrives with tufts of kale poking out. Someone orders the mushroom toast and it comes with hard-boiled quails eggs. When they first opened, Super Coffee & Food Store was providing some of the food, now it looks like they might be doing it in-house.
Just to confirm though.
You are here for the coffee, the matcha, the expert baristas with their (almost) fetish aprons and that gorgeous Slayer machine with the fat, wood handled porta filters.
Hidden Cafe
Constança 17 corner with Déu i Mata
Les Corts
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